We are connecting through Seattle on a winter trip to Hawaii. Is it going to be possible to drive Seattle to Walla Walla to visit our new grandbabies during January? What are the names of the passes we would be driving through? How is it best to track the weather forecasts in those areas? Any help would be appreciated.

You can check this web site for road conditions etc, its good for the all the USA.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/trafficinfo/index.htm

Interstate 90 goes over Snoqualmie Pass, and the state labors mightily to keep it open to the maximum extent possible. There are occasional closures while they take anti-avalanche measures, but they are seldom longer than 30 minutes. Unless spring is early next year, you will be required to carry chains if you use I-90. A much longer but snow-free route would be to go down I-5 toward Portland, branch off to the east on 205 to its intersection with I-84, and drive through the gorge to Hermiston; take I-82 north until you hit state route 12 which goes directly to Walla Walla.

I use www.accutraffic.com to keep up with road conditions.

In Washington State you can call 511 to get road information.

From RedRock's link you can get to the Washington State Dept of Transportation website which has information on the passes, including whether or not traction control devices are required. It is always current.

Here's the direct link:

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/